2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

This paper presents the design, implementation, and results of a summer camp in software engineering created in response to declining student engagement in on-campus classes. COVID-19 accelerated the adoption of online education, not only in higher eduction but in elementary and high schools. Our faculty in Software Engineering anecdotally noticed a dropoff in student engagement in on-campus students, and an increase in local students opting for the online modality of our degree program. They hypothesized this was due to the onset of online education during the pandemic. To increase visibility and interest in software engineering, and advocate a return to in-person education, the SUCCESS (A Survey of Computing, Coding, and Engineering Software Systems) was created for 6th-11th graders to reignite pathways in engineering.

Campus enrollment in our degree program has recently flatlined, and further, the typical student appears less engaged. Our open spaces for students are not as busy as they once were; students tend to stay on campus only for class and are more willing to simply engage via remote learning mechanisms. Online remote engagement is here to stay, but we believe re-energizing the in-person campus connection for junior high and high schoolers will lead to better outcomes in learning, engagement, retention, and most importantly student success. This age range is where key inflection points in professional pathways begin, and even the future remote learner can benefit by connecting directly with the on-campus experience.

The purpose of the SUCCESS program is to re-energize and reconnect students in grades 7-14 with in-person, hands-on activities in computing. The objectives are to:
1. Facilitate stronger identification of professional pathways in computing
2. Facilitate stronger connection with the campus
3. Educate those who may have a peripheral interest in computing as to the:
a. Range of computing disciplines and professions
b. Real nature of computing (see * below)
4. Diversify the pipeline of students interested in computing as a professional pathway through recruitment and inclusion of underrepresented populations.

The SUCCESS program is a one-week summer camp emphasizing a different theme each day - IoT, AI, Game development, AR/VR, and Security. The final day included a showcase for parents and friends to review the youth's work, and a certificate of completion was given during a camp graduation ceremony. The initial offering in 2024 enrolled 16 students from grades 6 through 11 who participated in technical activities, usually in pairs, in a fun, informal format. A pre-post custom survey instrument, based on prior summer camp studies, was given (with informed parental consent) with the results showing increased interest in software engineering, though the results related to on-campus connection were mixed. This paper will describe the camp, lessons learned, and present the results of our survey.